UT does it with dramatics again

OMAHA, Neb. – At some point, this is bound to get old. At some point, the Texas Longhorns will tire of the drama, or at least run out of ways to top themselves. But as Connor Rowe leaped and skipped and danced his way to home Friday night, his helmet already discarded, his teammates in a frenzy to meet him there, one thing was clear.

The Longhorns aren’t ready to give this up yet.

Adding another had-to-see-it-to-believe-it entry to a lengthy postseason highlight reel, the Longhorns rallied again at the College World Series, this time getting two home runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Arizona State 4-3 at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Trailing 3-2 with just two outs to play with, catcher Cameron Rupp blasted a mammoth drive over the 25-foot batter’s eye in center field off losing pitcher Mitchell Lambson. It was Rupp’s 11th homer of the year and his third in three games.

Then, after Preston Clark fouled out, Rowe – a sophomore outfielder and UT’s ninth-place hitter – lined the first pitch he saw from Lambson over the wall into the first row of seats in the left-field bleachers.

The home run – Rowe’s seventh of the season – kept UT undefeated in College World Series play and gives the Longhorns a chance to win their seventh national title. The best-of-three championship series against LSU begins Monday.